Goodbyes Are Never Easy
by SunnyBunnylove77
Summary: One-shot collection. #2 - "She grabbed his thin black tie and led him to the dance floor like a dog on a lease. But, surprisingly, Wally had no problem with that." Masquerade AU one-shot. Artemis and Zatanna are part of the League of Shadows.
1. Heroes Never Die

**Goodbyes Are Never Easy**

**I decided I would try a collection of one-shots to pay tribute to the show. I absolutely loved this show and I am so extremely sad it's over. I thought it would be nice to start off with a sort of post-Endgame one-shot, enjoy.**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice!**

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**Pairing:** Artemis/Wally**  
Word Count:** 2,322**  
Rating:** T**  
Summary:** "Walking up the porch steps was like climbing up a mountain. With each step and each breath, she felt the air become thinner and her steps became heavier." Artemis breaks the news of Wally's death to his parents. Endgame one-shot

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**Heroes Never Die**

Artemis stared at the spot where Wally last stood. Her legs were numb from sitting in the snow and her torso and arms were cold with goose bumps covering every inch, but she hardly noticed. The tears slowly stopped as there were no more tears left to shed. Her eyes were puffy and red and she had streaks of tears littering her cheeks. M'gann removed her arms from around her shoulders to go talk to the others. Artemis hardly noticed a thing.

"We should get her out of the cold." Artemis could hear M'gann say in the distance.

The wind rustled her blonde ponytail sending strands of loose hair into her face. She felt arms wrap around her, one behind her shoulders and one behind her knees, and suddenly she was up off the ground. Artemis looked up to the person who picked her up and was met with Conner's sad brown eyes. She was suddenly struck with how much Conner has really grown as a person in these last five years. He attempted a smile but it just turned into a grimace instead.

Artemis didn't have the fight in her to shout back that she could walk and that she wasn't helpless. She just wrapped her hands around Conner's neck as he made his way to the bioship. She avoided the eyes and faces of her other team mates. She wouldn't be able to bare to see the same hurt and pain mirrored in their eyes. Except they wouldn't know the true pain she felt. She didn't just lose a friend. She lost a confidant, a lover, her anchor in this world. He was her enemy first but that hate quickly turned into admiration then infatuation before it evolved and blossomed into love. She felt on top of the world when she was with Wally, like nothing, not even her _dad_, could bring her down.

Then he was just _gone_. There was no goodbye, no tear-felt moment where they both expressed their love and left no more secrets hidden. He just disappeared from her side, faded away. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes again at the thought of going home to an empty apartment, an empty bed, an empty kitchen. She quickly wiped the tears away but more replaced them.

Conner placed her in a seat in the back. Everyone else piled in and M'gann guided the ship into the air. Artemis pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged them. She stared blankly out the window, not really seeing anything outside instead she saw past memories of herself with Wally. Her heart felt heavy, her body felt lethargic.

She didn't even notice they landed till she felt a hand on her shoulder. Kaldur gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze as he helped her up. Her legs felt weak and she thought she might collapse but she refused the help her friends were desperate to give her. All Artemis wanted was to be alone, to grieve privately. Not with everyone giving her pitying looks and sympathetic smiles hiding any pain they may be feeling.

The Watchtower felt crowded all of a sudden. The air suddenly felt stuffy and she felt like a caged animal. People were whispering as she walked by. Artemis pushed away from Kaldur and headed for the zeta beam tube. She quickly plugged in the coordinates to her apartment in Palo Alto. A bright light washed over her and she was saved from all the stares and eyes watching her every move.

But when she reached the apartment and walked through the door. She suddenly felt worse. She would've preferred a stuffy room full of whispering and mourning people than the quiet and blatant reminder that Wally was gone. Nelson trotted over to her, blissfully unaware that his other owner would never be returning. He would never be scratched or snuggled by the red head ever again.

Artemis collapsed onto her knees for the second time that day. She stretched out her arms as Nelson trotted closer. He licked her face a few times before his tail slowly stopped wagging. It was as if the pit bull knew something was really, _really_ wrong. He whimpered a little and nuzzled his face in her arms. Artemis softly stroked his fur, tear drops falling occasionally on his back.

Eventually Artemis stood back up. She walked to her room, Nelson at her heels. She looked in the mirror taking in her appearance for the first time today. Her blue-grey eyes were dull and bloodshot. Her cheeks had streaks of salty tears. Her hair seemed more lifeless and disheveled. She tore off her mask and peeled off her top and pants. She carelessly threw it on the bed along with her quiver and bow. She quickly rummaged through her dresser and pulled out a black turtleneck and dark wash skinny jeans. She slipped them on and quickly redid her ponytail trying to look more presentable. It didn't really work considering her eyes were still puffy and her shoulders were slumped and her general attitude screamed grief and despair.

She zipped up her trusty boots and gave a quick pat on top of Nelson's head. She mentally braced herself for what she knew she had to do.

* * *

Central City was quiet when she arrived. Only a few cars were on the road, most people enjoying the quiet night. It was a stark contrast to Gotham, the place where she grew up. She stared at the house for a moment, getting the courage to walk ahead; to burst the bubble of happiness the couple inside were in. She was about to shatter their hearts like the cold hearted person her father always wanted her to be.

Walking up the porch steps was like climbing up a mountain. With each step and each breath, she felt the air become thinner and her steps became heavier. She stood in front of the door for what felt like hours but was probably only five or ten minutes. Artemis raised her hand to knock on the door but hesitated. Her hand hovered over wood, shaking slightly. She took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She _had_ to do it, she owed it to Wally. He was there for her mom when she faked her death; she had to be there for his parents. Only Wally didn't fake his death, this was different. He was really gone, the pain she felt was horribly real and she couldn't force herself to knock on the door. Without debating over it for any longer she quietly knocked. Artemis stared at the ground. She was silently praying that they didn't hear her knock, that they could still enjoy their night and she could gain the courage later to come back tomorrow.

But that didn't happen.

The door swung open to reveal two smiling aged faces. However when Artemis picked her head up and looked the two adults in the eyes their smiles instantly dropped. Seeing Mary's red hair and green eyes, both the _same_ exact shades as Wally's, sent her emotions back into a downward spiral. Tears poured out of her eyes as she was instantly enveloped into a hug by both Mary and Rudy.

Mary quickly ushered her inside and sat her down on the couch. She turned to her husband and said a quick, "Make some tea". Rudy silently nodded before he walked into the kitchen. Mary sat beside her and took both of Artemis's hands in hers. She squeezed them before letting one hand go to wipe a few quick tears.

"Artemis, dear, what's wrong?" Mary clutched her hands tightly, her green eyes begging to not confirm her greatest fears, "Did you and Wally fight?"

Artemis buried her head in her hands, gripping her hair as she hunched over. Hearing his name out loud hurt more than any knife wound she ever received. No one had mentioned it since Barry gave the worst news she would ever hear in her life. Artemis quickly stood up, unable to look at, let alone sit on the same couch with, Mary West. She shuffled forward a little before hanging her head, letting the tears flow freely down her cheeks. Tear drops occasionally fell to the floor, making a small wet stain on the carpet.

"Artemis!" Mary said in distress. The woman has never seen her so broken before.

She heard the woman stand up from the couch but she didn't go near the broken girl who was only steps away from her.

Artemis whirled around, the words leaving her mouth slowly, "Wally," Her voice cracked. Artemis had to swallow the lump in her throat before continuing weakly, "Wally is _gone_."

The older woman gasped. The wrinkles in her face were suddenly more pronounced, the crow's feet beginning to show and circles were under her eyes. Her frame was thinner than she remembered as she saw the older woman cover her mouth with one hand and wrap the other around her waist. Artemis never noticed how _old_ Mary was getting and it felt like she was being stabbed over and over with every sob that wracked her body.

Mary took three long strides to reach Artemis before hugging her tightly. Artemis gripped the woman's shirt tightly and buried her face in her shoulder. She could hear the shatter of glass in the distance and guessed that Rudy must've heard her. Mary's legs suddenly gave out and Artemis fell to the floor with her. Both females desperately clung to the other. A new pair of arms wrapped around the two sobbing figures. Rudy West buried his face into his wife's shoulder.

Artemis suddenly felt like an outsider, like she was intruding on some private moment. Her pain was bad but it couldn't compare to the feeling of losing a child. Artemis carefully unwrapped Mary's arms around her and slowly got up. She glanced at the sobbing couple on the floor before heading towards the door.

"Artemis," She heard Rudy call out, his voice was weak.

Artemis stopped and turned around. Mary and Rudy were now on the couch, holding hands and tears running down their faces. Mary patted the place next to her. Artemis walked back towards the couch and sat down.

"_How_?" Mary's voice cracked.

Artemis didn't need to ask her to elaborate; she knew exactly what she was asking. She wanted to know how her baby boy died. Artemis swallowed thickly, her throat tight.

"There were these Reach machines that messed with Earth's magnetic field. It was causing a lot of major natural disasters. We thought there were only _twenty_." Artemis shut her eyes tight, not wanting to relive the memory so fresh in her mind. But she knew she had to tell the story for Mary and Rudy's sake. "But we were wrong. We missed one in the Artic. Flash and Impulse arrived there first. They were too late though, the machine went into chrysalis mode. They ran around the machine, creating a vortex to draw off the energy, but it wasn't working. Me and Wally were at the Watchtower when we heard. Before anyone knew it Wally ran off to help. He added the extra speed but at a terrible cost. I arrived later with some others. We couldn't see anything but a red blur. The machine shut down and when the smoke cleared…" Artemis took a deep, shaky breath before continuing, "He was gone. Barry later told us that his slower speed caused him to be a target of some stray energy. He was disappearing before his eyes. He just… vanished. I'm sorry, I'm so _sorry_." But she wasn't really sure what she was apologizing for.

Mary stoked her hair, "Oh, sweetie…" Mary hugged her and rocked gently and slowly.

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Artemis barely remembered Mary telling her to stay the night or when she brought her a blanket and pillow. She stared blankly at the wall, her head resting on the pillow and blanket pulled up to her waist. She was about to drift off to sleep when she felt the blanket being pulled up to her shoulders and a light kiss placed on her temple. The person was stroking her hair. Artemis turned and was met with green eyes, short red hair and freckles.

She quickly sat up straight, the blanket nearly falling to the ground. A little gasp escaped between her lips. She stared at the man before her in disbelief, not believing her eyes. She shut them tight and rubbed them hard, "No. _N_o. You're not really here. You _can't_ be."

She felt a small gust of wind than two strong arms wrap tightly around her, pulling her close. "Artemis," he breathed against her neck.

She froze in his arms. She desperately wanted him to be real but she knew he wasn't. He _couldn't_ be. Barry and Bart watched him _disappear_ before their eyes. But he felt real, he looked real, he even _smelled_ real. Wally wiped at the tears she didn't know she shed and lightly kissed both cheeks.

"I'm real Artemis."

Then he kissed her. _God_, it was the _best_ kiss in her life. It wasn't full of passion or lust but it was sweet and filled with pain and love. And she knew he was real, she _knew_. She could feel it in her bones and in her heart.

Artemis laughed, a crazy hysterical sound that didn't sound quite right even to her ears. She pounced on him, holding him tight, never wanting to let go ever again. Wally fell back from the force as he joined in on the laughter. She kissed him repeatedly; almost afraid he would disappear again. She had so many questions but for now she could wait, she could wait a thousand years for talking. All she wanted to do now was kiss him and hold him and convince herself she wasn't dreaming.

"I've missed you."

_Heroes never die._

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**Thoughts?**

**You can submit prompts if you'd like, I'll try to update regularly. I want to work on my writing more and I figured this would be a nice exercise to write about many different situations. I have a few more ideas so expect more soon!**

**Oh, I hope it's okay I used the name Nelson for the dog's name, I'm not sure if someone "claimed" it or not. But the name is so fitting because it shows how much of an impact Kent Nelson had on Wally and it seems right that he would name the dog Nelson.**

**Well I hope you enjoyed and please review! Constructive criticism is welcomed! **


	2. Masquerade

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice or the song.**

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**Pairings:** Wally/Artemis and Dick/Zatanna  
**Word count: **4,098  
**Rating:** T  
**Summary: "**She grabbed his thin black tie and led him to the dance floor like a dog on a lease. But, surprisingly, Wally had no problem with that." Masquerade AU. Artemis and Zatanna are part of the League of Shadows.  
**Song:** How to be a heartbreaker by Marina and the Diamonds. I listened to the Glee version. I do not own! (I like both versions)  
**Note:** I didn't mean to turn it into a sort of song-fic but oh well; I thought the song fit Artemis for this.

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**Masquerade**

Wally West was bored. No, that was an understatement. He was jaded, bored to death, absolutely uninterested in anything at the moment. Nothing could occupy his attention for more than ten or fifteen minutes. He tried to play video games and stopped after he switched the disk four or five times. He tried eating away the boredom but that didn't last long due to lack of food. He even tried _cleaning_! Though that was more doomed from the start than his other earlier ideas.

So when his best friend walked through the door of his apartment he was utterly happy. Ecstatic even, overjoyed that someone had come to rescue him before he went into a coma from lack of stimulation. He needed to exercise his brain. His thoughts moved at too fast a pace for him to have literally nothing to do.

The redhead was sprawled out on the couch, one leg resting on the top of the couch and one arm was hanging limply near the ground. He gave his friend a pleading, helpless look as he entered the (now only slightly) messy living room. His black haired friend simply cackled his signature laugh, shaking his head.

"Dick, old buddy, old pal," Wally whined, "_Please_ tell me you have a mission or that you want a night off so I can patrol for you or something productive."

"Wally, if you wanted something productive to do then you should've cleaned your living room." He smirked, "There's empty take-out boxes and wrappers on the coffee table and old newspapers and other trash on the floor."

"Yes, but that's not fun." Wally pouted; he even crossed his arms over his chest and stuck out his lower lip a tiny fraction. "I _tried_ to clean, but the vacuum cleaner was hiding."

Dick shook his head again, amused by his friend's reluctance to clean. "Honestly Wally, did your mother ever have you tested for ADHD?" He chuckled.

"Hilarious." He deadpanned.

"I thought so." Dick grinned.

"It's the super speed. Not only do I have increased speed and agility but my thought process is quick too. It makes doing mundane things very difficult." Wally said defensively.

"Right," He drawled out, "Anyways since you so desperately need something to do, I have just the thing."

Wally's interest piqued as he sat up, "Oh?"

"Apparently the League of Shadows plans on assassinating Jacque Rue, you know the guy who owns that weapons company? They think that by doing so they can get one of their own on the board so they can have free access to weapons and so they can suggest new models." Dick paused for a moment; he seemed to be in deep thought, "Though I don't see why they wouldn't just steal the weapons. That would seem so much easier."

Wally simply shrugged his shoulders, "It's the Shadows, do they _need_ a good reason to do anything?"

"No, I guess not."

Wally stood up and clapped his hands then rubbed them together in anticipation, "So what's the plan?"

"Well, the Shadows might try to assassinate Jacque Rue tonight at his fundraising masquerade ball. We are going to go undercover and look out for anyone suspicious. And if you see anyone that could be a Shadow we lure them outside and take them down." Dick pushed his sunglasses further up his nose.

"Sounds easy enough." And it did sound easy. The two of them have been through a lot harder mission with impossible odds staked against them. They weren't always successful but they made a good team after working with each other for so many years. Having to walk around a party with many girls dressed up in pretty dresses didn't sound like a bad night at all. Plus there has to be plenty of good food. The rich _always_ have the best finger food at these types of events.

Dick smirked in return. "That what we always think then the mission always goes wrong," He laughed as he turned towards the door. He gave a lazy wave and opened the front door of Wally's apartment, "See you tonight, Wally." With that, he walked out and shut the door behind him.

Wally stood there for a moment before collapsing back on the couch. After a few minutes he groaned and stuck his hands out to the ceiling, "Dang it, I still have to entertain myself for a few hours."

He slowly and lazily reached out for the remote. Clicking the on button, he relaxed back into his couch. He figured watching a movie would be a good way to pass the time.

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The hours flew by and suddenly Wally found himself in a nice looking black suit with a black tie and a black masquerade mask. Dick had given him the suit before they left for the mission. Dick also had a black suit and black mask but his tie was a dark blue color. Wally wanted to have a yellow tie and red mask but Dick didn't think it would've been a good idea. He said they were 'trying to blend in, not stand out. And stand out badly at that.' Wally totally rocked the yellow and red, he could've pulled it off with style.

Dick handed him a ear piece before they went in, "Keep in touch throughout the night. And don't make a big show." Dick put his ear piece in and disappeared into the crowd before Wally could make a retort back.

He settled instead for pouting and muttering to himself, "I do not make big shows of myself undercover. I can't help it if _everyone_ can't tear their eyes away from me."

He stalked off to the nearest buffet table and immediately started to pile food on a plate. He surveyed the room, his eyes landing on every person, trying to spot any potential Shadows. He made a mental note on Jacque Rue's position. He had his own special table with his 'close' friends. Rue was nothing special, just the typical money hungry business man. Wally couldn't tell if his dull brown hair was slicked back with gel or if it was just really greasy. His plump, short figure was currently seated and his skin was pale.

Wally stood at his spot, surveying the room and eating, for several songs. The DJ was good; he played a lot of popular songs and switched occasionally between upbeat and slow songs. Currently some popular pop song was playing.

"_Wally, you're supposed to act like you're having a good time. Not being a glutton at the buffet table. Go dance or walk around. You're starting to have people stare with the amount of food you eat." _Nightwing's voice came through the ear piece. Wally set down his plate, clean of any scraps. He grabbed a champagne flute from one of the waiter's walking around and downed half of it in one gulp. Wally surveyed the room for potential dance partners. If he was going to dance he didn't want to do it alone.

A curvaceous chocolate brown haired woman caught his eye. She had a pretty baby blue dress that had a plunging neck line and was backless. The skirt part of the dress was puffy and big. Her brown hair was pulled up in a delicate bun and her mask matched the color of her dress. All in all she was very pretty and _definitely _a potential dance partner. He ran a hand through his red hair and swaggered over, putting his best charming smile in place.

"Hello."

She looked him up and down with a quick sweep with her eyes before putting on a wide smile, showing off her white smile, "Hi there."

Wally internally cringed, her voice was high pitched and squeaky, almost like nails on a chalk board. He coughed, hoping she'd mistake it for being nervous, "Would you like to dance?"

Her smile got wider, "Yes. You're the first to ask me tonight. All the others came up then left after we talked for a few minutes. They must've been nervous." Yeah _that's_ the reason why.

"I can imagine." He muttered, then downed his champagne and set the flute on the table.

Wally held out his hand which she quickly snatched up. She practically dragged him out to the middle of the dance floor as a slow song was starting. Wally mentally groaned as she tightly latched her arms around his neck and snuggled into his chest. They swayed back and forth since they couldn't really go in any other direction due to the woman practically on top of him. A few pieces of her blond hair got into his mouth and he craned his neck to the side to get his head as far away from hers as possible.

"This is so nice," She said in a low voice trying to sound sexy and flirtatious, but to his ears it was like a softer version of her squeaky and high pitched tone.

"Yeah… Nice." He practically counted the seconds till he could make some sort of excuse to leave.

"_You look comfy there, Flash."_ A mocking voice said in his ear, followed by a cackle of laughter.

If he could reply, Wally would be making many comments and many insults. The song finally ended and Wally had to peel the girl's arms from around his neck. She protested and asked for another dance but Wally said he was hungry and made a beeline for the buffet table across the large room. He heard the girl shriek and stomp her foot before walking off. He shuddered, glad she was gone.

He glanced across the room then spotted Dick giving him a thumbs up which Wally returned with a glare. He could see him laughing even from across the room. Stupid little troll. Something caught Nightwing's eyes, his jawing dropping for a second before he composed himself and sauntered over to a pair of ladies who just arrived. He walked straight up to the black haired female who was wearing a black dress with a bedazzled swooping neckline, the jewels continued to outline the plunging back. It created a stunning affect and made her waist look tiny. The dress had a slit up the side which showed off her high black heels and fish net stockings. Her mask was black with black glitter and she had a headband holding her straight hair back from her face. The headband seemed to have a small hat tilted to the side attached. The hat seemed to be a magician hat and it had a small black veil attached under the hat. What would've looked tacky on anyone else, make her look absolutely stunning. Dick bowed slightly and the girl giggled back and took his outstretched hand. He led her out to the dance floor where a fast song was playing. Lucky bastard.

His eyes then travel to the girl's companion and Wally nearly choked on his polenta wedges with tomato tapenade. He coughed and patted his chest. The woman was almost the exact opposite of her friend. She had long blond hair that was put into a high ponytail then curled. Her bangs which were about chin length were also curled. The mask she wore was black but had thing silver swirls that started in one corner and faded when they reached her nose and cheek. Her skinned looked smooth and was tanned. The dress she had on almost made his jaw drop to the floor. It was a silver one shouldered dress. It also had a slit running up the length of her leg, except there was no fish net underneath, just smooth silky looking skin. When she turned he could see that the strap turned into a thin jeweled strap that crisscrossed across her back. The metallic silver was a great contrast to her dark skin. A few boys stopped her and he could see their faces fall as she turned them down. He smirked.

He could see her start to make her way to the hor d'oeuvres. Wally ruffled his hair a little and put on a suave smile. He walked over to the blond haired beauty and leaned casually against the table, "Hi there."

She simply raised a thin eyebrow but didn't say anything. He tried again.

"I've got moves, you got shoes, let's go dancing." He winked.

She snorted and said coyly, "Does that always work on the ladies?"

Her voice was surprisingly husky which Wally found out he immediately loved the sound of. He wanted to hear her talk more. "No, but it got you to laugh, didn't it?"

"Touché." She cocked her hip out and placed her hand on it as she gave him a once over, "Okay fine. Let's dance."

She grabbed his thin black tie and led him to the dance floor like a dog on a lease. But, surprisingly, Wally had no problem with that. A song started up when they arrived.

_Rule number one  
Is that you gotta have fun  
But baby when you're done  
You gotta be the first to run_

She put one hand on his shoulder and grabbed his hand with the other. Wally placed his free hand on her waist. Wally led her backwards then twirled her around in a circle. He could see a faint smile grace her lips. Behind them and a little to the right he could see Dick twirling the black haired girl around in a circle. Both had smiles on their faces. The girl got close and Wally had to know her name, "You gonna tell me your name?"

_Rule number two  
Just don't get attached to  
Somebody you could lose  
So le-let me tell you_

She smiled and put both of her hands around his neck, she lifted her leg slowly up his side till her knee was almost at the height of his waist. Her leg hooked around his and she leaned back as Wally supported her back with both hands. She slowly moved forward again. He suddenly felt weak in the knees and his breath caught in his throat. Surely she must know the effect she was having on him. She leaned in close, her mouth next to his ear and leg still wrapped around his.

"Maybe." She whispered coquettishly.

_This is how to be a Heartbreaker  
Boys they like a little danger  
We'll get them falling for a stranger  
A player singing I la-la-la-love you  
How to be a Heartbreaker  
Boys they like the look of danger  
We'll get them falling for a stranger  
A player singing I la-la-la-love you,  
At least I think I do_  
_Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh__  
__Cause I la-la-la-love you_

She unwrapped her leg from around his and sashayed a few steps away, swinging her hips and spinning in place. Wally stood there, watching her hips for a moment as if in a trance, before coming up behind her. He grabbed her hand and spun her towards him. She ended up with her back pressed up against his chest and Wally could see her dark grey eyes under her black mask as she tilted her head towards his. They were the most amazing color.

Wally had his face almost buried in her neck and he breathed out, "Babe, you're killing me here."

_Rule number three  
Wear your heart on your cheek  
But never on your sleeve  
Unless you want to taste defeat_

"Good." She purred, her mouth so close to his that he could feel her breath on his lips. Then suddenly she pulled away and twirled again. She sauntered backwards and wagged her finger, silently telling him to come closer. He obeyed but whenever he got closer she took a little step back, a playful smile on her lips as she still wagged her finger. She was taunting him and he knew it but for some strange reason he absolutely _loved_ it. She was a challenge and he was _definitely_ up for it.

_Rule number four  
Gotta be looking pure  
Kissing goodbye at the door,  
And leave them wanting more, more_

Wally finally caught up to her and trapped her in his arms. Or so he thought. She swayed back and forth a little and waited for his arms to relax a fraction before ducking under and spinning. A breathy laugh escaped between her glossy lips and Wally suddenly _really_ wanted to kiss them. If only he could get close enough. If only he could learn her _name_.

_This is how to be a Heartbreaker  
Boys they like a little danger  
We'll get them falling for a stranger,  
A player singing I la-la-la-love you.__  
__How to be a Heartbreaker  
Boys they like the look of danger  
We'll get them falling for a stranger,  
A player singing I la-la-la-love you.  
At least I think I do__  
__Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh__  
__Cause I la-la-la-love you_

"You gonna tell me your name yet?" Wally asked when he caught her again. She simply smiled and moved her hips.

Wally grinned in return as he twirled her around. He kept both of her small hands in his much larger ones as they moved together than apart. Both were completely oblivious to the people around them. A small crowd had started to form but they gave them enough room to dance. The two were being watched and a few whispers started. Guys were giving Wally death glares, not that he noticed though. Obviously any guy would love to have their arms around such a beautiful girl. Especially the ones that she previously turned down.

_Girls, we do, whatever it will take,  
Cause girls don't want,  
We don't want our hearts to break in two  
So it's better to be fake  
Can't risk losing in love again ba-abe_

The beat slowed briefly. Wally spun the bewitching woman back to him. Her hand slowly crept up his chest to behind his neck where it rested. His hand caught one of hers as the other slid down her back to rest on her lower back. Their bodies were pressed up against the other as they waltzed in a wide circle. She played with the hair at the nape of his neck, sending chills down his spin.

She leaned in close and said in a husky whisper, "I'll tell you mind if you tell me yours."

_This is how to be a Heartbreaker  
Boys they like a little danger  
We'll get them falling for a stranger,  
A player singing I la-la-la-love you.__  
__How to be a Heartbreaker  
Boys they like the look of danger  
We'll get them falling for a stranger,  
A player singing I la-la-la-love you.__  
__Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh__  
__Cause I la-la-la-love you  
At least I think I do_

The beat picked up again. She started to make her escape again but Wally was prepared this time. He held her tightly to him. He was completely captivated by her every movement. Every twitch of her lip, every step she made and every sway of her hips caught his immediate attention.

"Wally." Her lip twitched and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"Wallman, huh? I was hoping for a little more of a _manly_ name." He would've pouted if he couldn't tell she was teasing.

"It is a manly name." He defended.

The song started to end and they stopped dancing. She leaned in close and whispered, "Artemis." She gave him a light peck on the lips before disappearing in the crowded room. Wally stood there in a daze. Artemis. The name was as captivating and as mysterious as the woman was. His check burned from where her lips made contact and Wally had to fight to not touch the area. He was _not_ going to act like a love struck girl.

Shaking his head to free his mind, he looked over to the head table. Wally had to remind himself that he was here on a mission. He searched the table for Jacque Rue but found that his plump figure wasn't there. Uh-oh.

Wally touched his ear piece and in a panicked whisper said, "Uh, Nightwing, I think we might have a problem."

It took a few seconds but Dick answered back, "_What is it?_"

Wally looked around the room real quick to make sure that Rue wasn't in the large crowded room. He wasn't. "I don't see Jacque Rue anywhere. Do you think the Shadows got him?"

He heard a heavy sigh come from his friend. Silver caught his attention in the corner of his peripheral vision and Wally whirled his head around to see what it was. The edges of a familiar looking silver dress disappeared behind a door, along with the short squat figure of Mr. Rue.

"Nightwing, I think I found him and a possible Shadow. They disappeared behind a door by the back stairwell." Wally rushed his sentence as he quickly made a beeline for the door.

"_I see you; I'm on my way over."_ Dick said.

Wally reached the door and opened it. He quietly slipped out and surveyed his surroundings. He was in a garden with lots of tall hedges and many different colors of different plants. In the distance he could hear the sound of water trickling down a fountain. In the distance he could also make out the sounds of a struggle. He quickly ran over to the source of the noise to see that Jacque Rue was on the group with the woman in the silver dress he was dancing with earlier. He groaned internally, why'd she have to be on the villain side?

He tsked loudly, making himself known. "And here I thought you were just a normal but enchanting young lady."

She smirked, "Sorry to disappoint." She didn't sound sorry at all.

"Why don't you just let Mr. Rue go, then I won't have to hurt that pretty face of yours." And he really didn't want to hurt her. He wanted to help her, to help her see that she should be working for the heroes instead.

"Sorry, but that's not gonna happen." The new voice startled Wally. The young lady in the black dress, who arrived with Artemis, stepped out of the shadows. So she was a part of this too.

"Then I'm afraid that I'm going to have to stop you." Both ladies laughed at that. Wally deflated a bit before he ran up to where Artemis stood, grabbed Rue off the floor, then ran back a good distance away.

She looked a little shocked at how fast he arrived then left, "Flash, right?"

"What gave it away babe?" He smiled.

Another figure materialized out of the shadows, this time a friendly face though. Nightwing looked shocked to see the dark haired woman he was dancing with earlier, "Zatanna?"

Zatanna seemed to pout a little, "Dang, and I was hoping I could see you later."

"You still could." Dick winked.

"Sorry, honey, but I don't get involved with heroes." She cocked out her hip and crossed her arms.

Jacque Rue got out of his shock and started running towards the door. Artemis made a move to follow but Wally easily intercepted and blocked her way. She frowned and tried to go around but it was pointless. She quickly dropped to the ground and swung her leg out, tripping Wally. He fell the ground with a thump but recovered and blocked her path again.

"Artemis, we don't have to fight." Wally tried to reason.

"Sorry, Wally, but we do. I'm part of the League of Shadows and your part of the Justice League." She threw a few punched which Wally dodged. He had his arms around her, restraining any movement. She went limp and stopped fighting.

Wally relaxed his hold, "Artemis, we can help you."

Artemis elbowed him in the gut then ran over to her friend. "No one can help me, Wally." She seemed to look a little sad at the thought before adopting her trademark smirk again. Wally could see Dick getting up from the floor. The girls each gave a mock salute.

"Tropelet yawa." Blue glowed from Zatanna's fingertips as a portal swallowed them up.

Dick and Wally each sighed and stared at the spot where the girls once stood. A desperate need to help the blond haired beauty swelled up inside him. He was going to find her again and he was going to get her to see that fighting the villains was a lot better than being a villain. He had a strange feeling that Dick felt the same way about Zatanna.

* * *

**Sorry for any grammar errors, I might've missed something… who knows. If you spot something, please tell me so I can change it!**

**Well I'm not satisfied with the ending much but it'll work for now. It felt too rushed... I really like the idea of both Artemis and Zatanna both working for the League of Shadows, I think it'd be really interesting.**

**I might continue this and add a little follow up about Wally searching for Artemis…. Eh, I don't know. Maybe.**

**Thoughts? Reviews?**


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